Unit information: Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in 2021/22

Unit name	Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
Unit code	PANM10001
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Diezmann
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Faculty	Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

The unit introduces disease-causing microbes and the diseases that they cause. It includes methods for diagnosing infection, vaccination as a method for preventing infection, and methods for treating infection, including antimicrobial drug modes of action and the rise of drug resistance.

Unit aims:

To provide students with information about:

1. Key microbes, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasitic protozoa and prions that cause human disease and how they do it,
2. Key examples of infectious diseases relevant to the global population including emerging diseases, and disease epidemiology.
3. Methods for identifying pathogens, and determining susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs.
4. Antimicrobial mode of action and antimicrobial drug resistance.
5. Vaccine development

To teach students skills including:

1. microbiology­related practical skills including safe handling of microbes in the laboratory,
2. appreciation of experimental design,
3. data interpretation,

individual written work, and oral and visual presentations as part of a team.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the unit a successful student will be able to:

1. describe various microbes including viruses, bacteria, fungi, prions and protists that cause disease and how they can be identified,
2. describe the key human infectious diseases and the microbes that cause them,
3. describe how antimicrobial drugs have their action, and how resistance to these drugs emerges.
4. list steps that can be taken to lessen the impact of pathogens on human health,
5. Understand and describe how to handle microorganisms with confidence and safety in the laboratory,
6. describe experimental design and interpret data,
7. present scientific information and arguments in written, oral and visual form, undertake the further study of microorganisms at Level 5 and 6.

Teaching Information

Online delivery of Lectures and exercises

Practicals and/or online practicals supported by eBiolabs

Assessment Information

eBiolabs pre­lab quizzes and post­lab assignments (10%)

Poster presentation (20%)

Mid-unit test (10%)

Examination (summer) (60%)

The exams will cover learning outcomes 1 - 4, 6 - 7.

The assessment via eBiolabs and the practical write­up will assess learning outcomes 5 - 7.

The poster presentation will cover learning outcome 7 and any from 1 - ­4.

Formative assessment:

For formative purposes students will receive feedback as follows:

Electronic feedback will be provided for the pre­lab and post­ lab work via eBiolabs.

Feedback during practical classes will be provided by staff and demonstrators.

Unit assessment marks will be provided and feedback will be available from the Unit Director on request.

A breakdown of marks for the summer exams will be provided and additional feedback will be provided by the Unit Director on request.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PANM10001).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.